LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

DRUG USEAGE

JUST how many drugs and how many drug users do we have in Australia?

Just how does drug taking affect their work? What effect are drug-affected users having on our road toll, directly and indirectly, on violence, included to paramedics, police, emergency department personnel who have to treat them and others who have to deal with the consequences on a regular basis? Holdups, break ins etc.

Are most users viably employed or on social service payments?

To see in the news locally, more than 1000 charges, three firearms and a wad of cash is concerning. Just how much drug use do we have in our society? It’s becoming a huge and growing problem for all concerned: the users, the victims, those who have to deal with them.

We reasonably regularly hear of large drug busts by the authorities, up to many tonnes intercepted at sea. We’d logically assume that a huge amount gets through undetected and just how much is really on our streets remains an open guess.

This is a huge concern, a fast-growing problem without any obvious answers at present.

RAY HARCH, Toowoomba

STUPID DECISION

NO doubt about Queensland Health. In their infinite wisdom, they have banned bed rails that once prevented patients falling out of bed because they now view it as an infringement on the patient’s rights and dignity.

Those unfortunate patients under palliative care are completely dependent on staff in every possible way but QH has decided that keeping them safe in bed is impacting on their dignity.

To find a dying loved one lying helpless on the floor after falling out of bed because there was no rails to prevent them from sliding off the bed is totally and utterly unacceptable and QH should hang their heads in shame for making such a stupid decision.

What are they going to do next - let babies fall out of their cots for the same reason?

H. QUINN, Toowoomba

ATTENBOROUGH WAS RIGHT

I DIDN’T find Errol Briant’s recent letter helpful at all. In it, he basically says that David Attenborough was exaggerating the bleaching of the coral reef because he later did a documentary extolling the wonders of the reef. Using this sort of play with words is just an attempt to smoke screen the facts.

Where can we find reliable information about this? The Australian Institute of Marine Science is the Commonwealth Government’s statutory marine research body.

AIMS performs annual surveys of the health of the Great Barrier Reef and holds data from the past 30 years.

The AIMS data shows that the northern, central and southern regions of the Great Barrier

Reef reef now have around half of the coral cover that they had at their recorded peaks. The reefs have suffered mainly from mass coral bleaching events, cyclone damage and damage due to the Crown of Thorns starfish. A lot of the damage has been in the past few years.

Mass coral bleaching events have been a significant factor, and increased seawater temperatures are a leading cause of these events. David Attenborough was not exaggerating.

Let’s not use plays on words to pretend the situation is anything different. We are seeing the degradation of a natural wonder and a vital part of Queensland’s economy.

ROBERT JONES, Toowoomba

THANK YOU

TO the very honest person who gave my purse in at Betros on Wednesday afternoon, August 7. You saved an 80year-old a lot of worry.

May you have many blessings in your life. Many thanks.

B.M. CARSWELL